LOS ANGELES, CA – Police cleared a residential area in Manhattan Beach on Thursday afternoon after two possible explosive devices were discovered inside a home, prompting a response from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Arson and Explosives Detail.
The Manhattan Beach Police Department received a call at approximately 1:26 p.m. reporting a possible explosive device inside a residence in the 1100 block of Chestnut Avenue, near Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
Officers responded and secured the surrounding area while requesting assistance from the Sheriff’s Department bomb squad.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lists its Arson Explosives Detail as the specialized unit responsible for incidents involving suspected explosives and related hazardous devices.
Bomb technicians examined the items and ultimately took possession of two possible explosive devices, according to Manhattan Beach police.
Authorities have not yet determined exactly what the devices were or whether either was capable of detonating.
No explosion was reported.
Police also did not announce any injuries.
As the investigation unfolded, westbound Manhattan Beach Boulevard was closed at Meadows Avenue while emergency personnel worked near the residence.
The closure was lifted after the scene was cleared.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Manhattan Beach police issued an updated alert announcing that the operation had concluded and the surrounding area had reopened.
The department has not said who discovered the devices or how they came to be inside the residence.
Authorities also have not disclosed whether anyone was living at the property at the time or whether officers detained or questioned anyone in connection with the discovery.
No arrest has been announced.
The Sheriff’s Department’s policy manual assigns suspected explosive devices and related incidents to the Arson and Explosives Detail, which is equipped to evaluate and safely remove potentially hazardous items.
That specialized response does not itself mean an object is a functioning bomb.
Police frequently treat suspicious devices as potentially dangerous until trained bomb technicians can examine them and determine whether they contain explosives, components capable of detonation or harmless materials.
In this case, authorities specifically described the two objects as possible explosive devices, and their status remains undetermined.
That distinction remains important as the investigation continues.
Manhattan Beach police have not released photographs or a physical description of the objects.
They also have not said whether the devices will undergo additional examination by bomb technicians or another laboratory.
The Sheriff’s Department identifies Arson/Explosives Detail personnel as members of a specialized unit that may respond in distinctive protective equipment during hazardous-device investigations.
The incident prompted temporary traffic disruption but did not lead to a prolonged evacuation or continuing public-safety warning once the devices were removed.
The City of Manhattan Beach uses its public alert system to distribute urgent police and emergency information to residents. The Manhattan Beach Police Department website directs residents to sign up for city emergency notifications for critical incidents and public-safety updates.
The city’s emergency information resources also direct residents to call 911 for immediate threats and 310-545-4566 for non-emergency police dispatch.
Authorities have not indicated that any further threat remains in the Chestnut Avenue neighborhood.
It is also unclear whether investigators believe the devices were intentionally constructed as explosives, stored as part of a hobby or collection, or were ultimately harmless objects that merely appeared suspicious.
No criminal allegations have been announced.
Police have not released additional information about who owns or occupies the home.
Investigators are expected to determine the nature of the devices before deciding whether any criminal investigation or additional action is warranted.
For now, the confirmed sequence is limited: two suspicious items were found inside a Manhattan Beach residence, police secured the area, Sheriff’s bomb technicians removed the objects, and the scene was cleared without reported injuries.
The investigation into the devices remains ongoing.
